Editor’s note: This article is Part 1 of a two-part series produced as a data fellowship with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. Jamie Maraviglia has spent long days and nights in the hospital, but her time at home with medical bills is sometimes even more intense. The Arroyo Grande resident is routinely in […]
Experts say hospital consolidation is driving up medical costs. Is it locally? – Part 1
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CARE4Paws is hosting a pet food drive and donation-matching campaign this month to help pet owners and animals in need
It’s well documented that owning a pet can help reduce anxiety and depression. Studies conducted by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute found that pets can alleviate worry, provide comfort, and even reduce blood pressure in their owners. But when owning a pet becomes a financial burden, some of those positive effects can be threatened—and […]
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Correction
In the Sept. 3 article “Staying afloat,” Lompoc Hospital District Foundation President Alice Milligan’s last name was misspelled. The Sun regrets this error.
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Political Watch: September 10, 2020
• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Sept. 3 to extend consumer protections against price gouging until March 4, 2021. The protections prohibit sellers from increasing prices on food, consumer goods, medical or emergency supplies, and other items by more than 10 percent, according to Newsom’s office. The 2021 end date for the […]
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Buellton gym faces closure for health order noncompliance
While local enforcement agencies have, for the most part, found success with voluntary compliance when enforcing COVID-19 health orders, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced on Sept. 2 that a gym in Buellton is being taken to court for refusing to halt indoor operations during the pandemic. According to a press release, an […]
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Santa Maria allows U-Haul to add 600 mini-storage units to its property
Santa Maria’s miniature storage options are about to increase. The City Council voted on Sept. 1 to deny an appeal brought before them by Stephen Wagner, a concerned community member who opposed the city Planning Commission’s June 17 decision to approve permits for the U-Haul Mini Storage and Office project. The Planning Commission’s decision in […]
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County moves to expand farmstays project
Brett Ferini grew up working on his family’s farm, Rancho Laguna Farms, in Santa Maria. There, he learned how to turn barren land into fruitful soil that could host the berries, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and cauliflower that Rancho Laguna Farms produces and sells. He learned about where food comes from and all the work that […]
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County moves to expand farmstays project
Brett Ferini grew up working on his family’s farm, Rancho Laguna Farms, in Santa Maria. There, he learned how to turn barren land into fruitful soil that could host the berries, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and cauliflower that Rancho Laguna Farms produces and sells. He learned about where food comes from and all the work that […]
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Bowlers rally in support of reopening Rancho Bowl
On Sept. 5 about 60 people lined the sidewalk in front of Rancho Bowl and Lounge in Santa Maria to show their support for the business and rally to reopen the family-friendly entertainment center. Back Alley Pro owners Richard and Norma Cunningham were in the crowd. The professional bowlers shop is inside Rancho Bowl. The […]
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COVID-19 has particularly challenged organizations that rely on large fundraising events to keep doors open
The pandemic has forced nonprofits and small businesses alike to find creative ways to stay afloat. For businesses, that could look like upping online sales while physical doors remain closed, or bringing services outdoors. But for organizations and foundations, adapting to pandemic limitations has been uniquely challenging—especially with budgets that depend more on fundraising events […]
Posted inOpinion
Overdramatic
Apparently East Coast residents felt the need to give Solvang some direction, going so far as to call in to the City Council meeting with their two cents on exactly what the city should do about Doubletree Carriage’s application for a horse-drawn conveyance license. That horse-drawn carriage drama! It extends beyond those quaint Danish-inspired streets! […]
Posted inOpinion
Rambling and confused
To be perfectly frank—to speak with extreme candor—I have a hard time following almost anything that tumbles out of Andy Caldwell’s mouth. But then again, perhaps that’s because his thoughts are just too big for my simple canary capacity. Or maybe, it’s because this particular candidate for the 24th District seat in the U.S. House […]